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Rafts in ice, missing mice & dog fight

Cottage Q&A

By Jackie Davis

JAMES GULLIVER HANCOCK

ICE VS. RAFT: WHO WILL WIN?

I have an 8-by-8-foot raft floated with plastic barrels. I usually remove it for winter, but this year I plan to leave it anchored in the lake. Will the ice destroy it? I read that ice can’t grip plastic.—ANDREW CLARK, SHERBROOKE, QUE. There is some truth to this, says Stephen Morris, a professor of physics at the University of Toronto. “Anything that’s waterproof is going to be more ice proof,” he says. “But it’s not the gripping action so much as the lateral motion of the ice and its squeezing effect that might damage anchored things.”

About Cottage Life

Cottage Life’s Winter issue is all about how Canadians do the cold season. Meet a family that embraces the best of winter fun, with polar bear dips, hot tubs, and all-day shinny. Try our weekend meal plans designed for when the water’s off. Get intel from our workshop to help you thrive in the cold: an outhouse seat hack, tips to keep your pipes flowing in winter, a snowmobile spark plug troubleshooting guide, a firewood-cutting primer, and a bookshelf project that gives your old wooden toboggan new life. Plus, we deliver the inside scoop on new appliances for off-grid living. And, it’s the moment we wait for all year, when we get to show you the stunning collection of winning shots from our annual photo contest, along with the funniest pics you sent in. Lastly, Cottage Life turns 30 this year. Celebrate with us as we look back at our fondest (and strangest) moments.